Beach snook cooperated for fly-fishing anglers during July

Beach snook action hit high gear in July after a fairly slow start.

Stewart Lavelle shows off a fine fly-rod snook.

I had several clients fishing with me who caught their personal best snook on fly. Top of the chart goes to Stewart Lavelle of Sarasota, who bested a 28-incher. Ironically, Stewart hooked and lost a bigger snook on his next outing, losing the estimate 38-inch behemoth to a straightened hook.

In two trips, Steward hooked 28 snook and landed 18 -- not bad for his first two beach outings!

John Mallia of Buffalo, N.Y., isn't a fly fisher per se, but he did well on a beach snook trip in early July. John hooked 18 snook and landed 11 to 27 inches. Not only did he catch his largest snook on fly, but also his first snook on fly!

John Weimer joined me for a beach walk and a slow day. However, we found the fish late in the morning and landed five out of nine fish.

I got out by myself on July 11, and the stars were aligned. I hooked 30 snook and landed 22. I had an estimated 35-incher eat my D.T. Variation, but was only tight for a second.

I attended ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sport Fishing Trades) in Orlando and had a very good time. I worked the NuCanoe booth most of the time, but did get to tour the show for a few hours.

A lack of fly-fishing experience didn't hinder John Mallia.

NuCanoe unveiled a pair of new products. First up is the new Flint, a lightweight kayak that is less than $1,000. The new kayak is slightly less than 12 feet in length and has a myriad of features. It drew raves at ICAST. NuCanoe also debuted its new H2Proped Pedal Drive system. The system fits both the Pursuit and Frontier lines.

John Kis, a regular client from New Rochelle, N.Y. experienced his first day on the beach and did well. He landed two of three snook he hooked. There were very good numbers of snook on the beach, but they weren't exactly in a feeding mood.

For beach snook fishing, I use a 6-weight TFO BVK Rod, BVK Reel and an Orvis clear intermediate sinktip line. My fly of choice is none other than my D.T. Variation.

John Kis battles a snook on fly rod.

I have put together a couple of videos on beach snook fishing. You can check them out on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLNWJwIcGNA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9LCQ-PjzJg. In addition, I did an instructional video on how to tie the D.T. Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvKVHgAB8I0.

 There are plenty of snook in the surf and they should remain there for the next month or so. All we need is weather conducive for sight-fishing.

I spent a couple of productive days fly fishing in fresh water. First time out, I launched at Benderson Park and caught 30 bluegill, four bass and a hefty channel catfish. All fish were caught on Gibby's Snymph under a strike indicator.

John Weimer and I headed out to Myakka River State Park, but found little going on. So, we loaded the kayaks back on the trailer and drove to Benderson Park. We caught a few fish  on Gibby's Snymphs, but things didn't get hot until we tied on tandem, No. 12 and 14 Myakka Minnows. We ended the day  with more than 180 bluegill and five bass. We caught two at a time on about 12 occasions. John lost the fish of day. We're not sure what it was, but speculate it was a fairly large bass or channel catfish that was able to get back into the vegetation and break his tippet.

We also discovered hand-sized bluegill in deep water and were able to get them to hit our tandem Myakka Minnows. This lake is not heavily fished.

AUGUST FORECAST: I anticipate very good beach snook action as look was the weather cooperates. August normally is the peak month for this exciting activity. Large fish have been pretty common throughout the summer. In Sarasota Bay, look for decent action on spotted seatrout, snook, ladyfish and mangrove snapper. In local lakes and rivers, expect good bass, bluegill, channel catfish and shellcracker action.

If you'd like to experience some of the best sight-fishing Florida has to offer, please give me a call or email me: steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com.

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

Snook are in the surf and hungry for a fly

Pat Martin of New York battles his first beach snook on fly rod in the Gulf of Mexico.

You never know when you'll be surprised. That happened early in April when my wife and I drove down to Nokomis Beach to spend a leisurely few hours in the sun.

While there, I decided to take a walk. Of course, I would have to see if there were any snook in the surf.

John Kis shows off one of six snook he caught on topwater plugs.

Most years, I don't worry about snook in the surf until about mid-May. But this year has been extremely warm. So, I figured there could be a fish or two in the surf.

Wrong! I spotted more than 50 on my short stroll. I saw singles, doubles and schools up to 15 fish.

That was good news because I had Pat Martin scheduled for a trip the next day. He had originally inquired about fly fishing the surf for snook when he booked the trip a few weeks earlier. At the time, I told him it was a little early to hit the beach. I suggested instead that we fish Sarasota Bay from the kayaks and target snook around dock lights before dawn.

He agreed.

When I called to touch bases prior to our outing, I mentioned the snook in surf.

Bill Koenaman of Indiana brings a nice trout to the kayak.

"I think it's doable," I said.

Martin was agreeable and we met the following morning at 7 and drove south to the beach.

We arrived, grabbed out fly rods and walked to the surf. From there, we began walking north, eyes glued on the surf.

Didn't take long before I spotted a pair of snook 10 feet off the beach, swimming south. Martin didn't see them, but followed my directions and laid down a perfect cast. Two strips later, he was into his first beach snook.

Martin hooked three more snook that morning, landing two. We saw 80 snook over the morning.

This curious manatee decided to check out the kayak.

I usually don't start walking the beaches until May. I've found the prime months to be July and August.

These fish are made for fly fishing. They cruise the surf just a few feet from the dry sand. All it takes is the ability to see them and the ability to put a fly front of them.

Last season was the best in more than five years. I'm hoping this season is as good.

Required gear includes a cap or hat, polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, water, 6- to 8-weight fly rod, floating or sinktip line, leader and flies. I also like to wear flats boots when walking the beach.

On this first outing of the year, we used my new High Intensity Minnow, a glass minnow imitation that has proven deadly on a variety of fish in Sarasota Bay. I tied up a bunch on No. 1 hooks with beach snook in mind.

We weren't disappointed.

You can find snook in the surf from Anna Maria Island to Marco Island. Some beaches are better than others. You'll just have to figure that out. And you'll find that a beach that is hot one week won't have as many snook the next.

We spent the rest of the month fishing from our NuCanoes. Repeat client Bill Koenaman of Fort Wayne, Ind., had a good day fishing around Buttonwood Harbor. We caught and released more than 50 spotted seatrout and a snook. Most of the fish were taken on MirrOlure MirrOdines.

John Kis of New Rochelle, N.Y. had a fair day while fishing topwater plugs and jigs in Buttonwood Harbor. We landed six snook to 26 inches, one redfish and five spotted seatrout. I have been fishing John for nearly 10 years.

Repeat client Kirk Klingensmith of Corning, N.Y. caught four snook to 26 inches, a couple of spotted seatrout and a ladyfish of poppers while fly fishing around Buttonwood Harbor.

Milton Cheney of Sarasota joined me for an outing around Buttonwood Harbor. Action was slow, but we managed eight spotted seatrout to 19 inches on MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs.

A solo outing to Buttonwood Harbor produced a 28-inch snook, six spotted seatrout to 18 inches and a ladyfish. All fish were taken on High Intensity Minnows.

John Weimer of Sarasota and I fished a small lake near Naples and had a really slow day. The lake normally produces good numbers of peacock bass, Mayan cichlid, bluegill, shellcracker and largemouth bass. However, the last year's drought has resulted in extreme low water and excessive aquatic vegetation.

The drought has had an effect on Lake Manatee, too. The lake is down and places where we normally catch fish are now nearly dry.

MAY FORECAST: I look for improved beach snook action, with improved numbers as the days go by. Keys to success include calm conditions and clear water. As long as the wind if from the east, conditions are usually good. Night snook action should remain good around lighted docks. Spotted seatrout action should be good over deep grass and along the edges of the flats in Sarasota Bay. Snook also should cooperate on the flats and around mangrove islands.

My beach snook trips usually begin to book up in May. To assure you get the day(s) you want, please book early by contacting me. Email is steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com. Phone number is 941-284-3406.

As always, we couldn't do this without the help of your sponsors: NuCanoe, TFO, Peak Fishing, Economy Tackle, MirrOlure and D.O.A. Lures.

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406